MORE ON THE WEST MONTROSE GRAVEL PIT & Blue-Green Algae

This is highly unusual to have all three local papers writing on the same local issue all in the same week. Last Wednesday I posted about the story in the Waterloo Region Record regarding Woolwich Township closing their file on the Capitol Paving gravel pit proposal in West Montrose. Thursday the Elmira Independent published the following story and headline "Capitol Paving application closed by township". Then yesterday the Woolwich Observer also followed suit with "Woolwich closes file on West Montrose gravel pit".

Naturally all three stories have slightly different focuses and information. The Observer story gives us an excellent history including things like the Woolwich Interim Bylaw that was passed that froze development while cultural heritage issues were identified. Surprisingly the Murray Group not Capitol Paving appealed briefly the Interim Bylaw. The Murray Group were also interested in gravel in the same area.


A passing comment on the blue-green algae at the Woolwich Reservoir. Agricultural runoff with phosphorous combined with manure and wildlife deposits are a cause. HOWEVER folks let's not avoid the obvious: Years ago I advised the Ontario Ministry of the Environment that there was a pipe running into the reservoir discharging sewage type smelling liquids. The pipe is near a number of residences and probably is the end of the pipe discharge for septic tank sewage systems. There is a reason septic systems are falling in acceptability and this is it. If it's one house on ten acres of land without nearby surface water you probably won't have any unacceptable results but letting the pipe discharge into a reservoir that people swim and fish in is unacceptable if not disgusting. People have gotten sick and we're going to blame geese and deer and nearby farms? That is hypocritical.